Casefic: Off the Edge of the Map
by threnoidia
Summary: Sam and Dean are on a hunt in a Virginian forest when things go more horribly wrong than usual. Dean has to find Sam before its too late and finds an extremely unlikely ally in supernatural form. A casefic.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey there! I was toying with the idea of the boys hunting something in a forest and it turned into this. Hope you enjoy and would love comments on canon voice, setting and anything else you can think of. Just dabbling really.**

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><p>Dean Winchester hurtled through the woods of Virginia. His lungs burned, his muscles screamed, but he couldn't stop. There was no way he was going to give up on his brother. Surely it couldn't have dragged Sam too far away in the short time Dean had been gone.<p>

His Maglite pierced the dim forest, the spear of light jabbing at tree trunks, thick undergrowth and the barely-there track Dean was following. There was nothing out of the ordinary, nothing to show him which way his brother had been taken. But at least there was no blood.

'Dammit, Sammy,' he rasped between gasped breaths, 'Why'd you forget the map.'

Three days previous Dean had found a voicemail message from an old pal hunter of their Dad's. The hunt seemed easy enough: track the creature to its lair, plant a few explosives, and send it to kingdom come before it could snag a second human snack. Except that Sam had left the map of the nature reserve in the Impala…

The Maglite shivered through the forest ahead, bouncing around with each of Dean's lengthy strides. He strained to see any sign of either his brother, or the beast. _Anything_ that would make him certain he was going the right way. If he had remembered wrong, that the caverns weren't to the south, then he had little hope of reaching Sam in time.

Something glittered on the path just in reach of the artificial light. Dean recognised the glare of animalistic eyes moments before they blinked and vanished. He hefted the sawn-off shotgun in his free hand and pushed on, confident now that even without the map he knew where he was headed.

Native Americans had seen these things long before white man. Choctaw mythology named them _Nalusa Falaya_ – literal translation: long black being. This one had settled in close to a town and murdered a local police officer. The reports said, "bear" but the Winchesters knew better; six small holes in the chest didn't come from any grizzly.

Dean saw the eyes gleaming again seconds before the thing slammed into him. He went down, tumbling over the leafy soil like a child's discarded ragdoll. All the breath was driven out of him as his body collided with a trunk. Crumpled at the base of the tree, Dean sucked in air. Eerie yipping came from the dark.

The Maglite had been smashed to pieces. Moonlight filtering down through the canopy cast a pale silver shine on everything, but it was barely enough for Dean to see in. His blood ran cold when he realised light wasn't the only thing he was missing. The shotgun had fallen from his hand as he had been sent sprawling, and now he had no idea where it might be.

Dean drew the knife from his belt and swallowed hard. 'If you've hurt, Sammy,' he shouted hoarsely, 'You'll wish hell spawn like you never even existed!'

His only response was sudden silence. That unsettled Dean more than reflective eyes or creepy noises. Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet. His right elbow felt sticky and he knew he was bleeding. As far as he was concerned it was just a scrape. If you weren't gonna die from it, there was no use in any worry.

'Sam!' he yelled into the dimness. 'I'm comin' for you!'

His words were swallowed by the forest. A distant movement caught his attention. His eyebrows drew together in a frown. A pale blue glow was floating just off the ground, dancing in a non-existent breeze. Dean took a step forward, raising his knife with whitened knuckles. The blue glow gracefully ascended, levelling itself with Dean's height.

The hunter was suddenly conscious of his heart thudding against his ribs. He stumbled, light-headed, and reached out for a tree to lean against. His hand touched coarse fur. Instantly, Dean swiped with the knife. He caught nothing but air. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled as he strained to make out any shapes in the gloom. Whatever his hand had hit was gone.

He blinked rapidly as a thousand hissing voices seemed to fill his head at once. They were all saying his name, all asking him to come nearer – to hold them. His attention swam back to the blue glow as if he was deep in a dream. The knife fell from his fingers. Dean stepped toward the light, a genuine smile curving the corners of his mouth. A sense of warmth had washed over him, promising him safety and comfort.

The little blue glow glided closer until it was inches from his nose. As he reached up to touch it, searing white light flooded his vision. From far away he heard his own voice crying out in pain. Then black enveloped him and he knew nothing more.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam tasted blood. He opened his eyes on a world of shadows and pockmarked rock. As senses came filtering back, Sam decided that if a truck had hit him at full speed he probably would have hurt less. A groan pried chapped lips open as the hunter tilted his head back against the cold stone. His head pounded as if a thousand Impalas were revving up at once.

After a few moments of simply breathing, Sam realised the uneven natural walls reached high above on all sides. It struck him that he was sitting in some kind of water-carved oubliette, at least twelve feet below level ground. He scanned the edges of his prison, trying to understand where exactly he had found himself.

Small pinpricks of light reached through holes in the rock, which was where the dim sunshine was coming from and why he could see reasonably well. It seemed that the oubliette's circular rim was surrounded by what Sam guessed was some sort of cavern.

That's when it all came rushing back.

He had been standing in the forest with a Maglite and his pistol, the pearl inset grip cold against his fingers. Dean had gone back for a map of the nature reserve after they both realised neither of them had grabbed it from the front seat. Without it, there was little hope of them finding the caverns, let alone setting the charges before dawn.

Sam had been shuffling from side to side, trying to keep warm. Every time he exhaled, pale clouds billowed from his nose. Time seemed to drag on. A distant owl screech made him jump slightly; though he wouldn't admit it, forests _were_ pretty creepy alone at night.

Then he'd heard a stick crack and had half-turned to shoot a jibe at his brother about taking so long. Sam had seen the gleaming eyes, raised the pistol, loosed a shot and… Had he missed? He assumed he had, since the dark shape had darted forward and slammed straight into his gut. He'd ended up on his arse in the dirt, fumbling with the pistol and trying to see where it had gone.

There had been the unearthly cry that sent shivers down Sam's spine, and then he hazily recalled being struck by something hefty and solid. The _Nalusa Falaya _had knocked him unconscious. Feeling the cold stone beneath his hands, Sam realised the monster must have dragged him here.

For what reason, he didn't know. The creatures were pretty rare and hard to track. They were a sort of human-dog-monkey hybrid, covered in a coarse black pelt with large ears and a pointed muzzle. Their long tails were fluffy like a squirrel's and they could climb trees like primates. Fast and big, _Nalusa Falaya _weren't fun to mess with.

Sam slightly shook his head, trying to rid his mind of persistent fog. He needed to think, needed to plan. It wasn't hard to guess that the monster had gone back out into the forest to find his brother. Sam just hoped the beast had trapped Dean somewhere too, and not…

No, that didn't bear thinking about.

'Right, what do you know?' he asked himself aloud, his voice bouncing eerily around the stone pit. 'This must be the caverns we were told about.' He sluggishly counted the facts off on his fingers. 'And it's daylight, so I must've been out for at least five hours. The thing probably hunted Dean, and he wouldn't have been able to take it down by himself. It doesn't eat as soon as it captures – so that's gotta be good. And …' He gazed upward, frowning. 'I'm stuck down a hole – which is definitely the _opposite_ of good.'

Scuffling sounds came from somewhere near the edge of the pit, way over Sam's head. Shakily, he got to his feet and curled his hands into fists. Everything in him screamed for him to run, knowing his body was too weak to fight any kind of threat, but there was nowhere to go.

'Sammy?'

He nearly passed out from both relief and shock when he heard his brother's voice. 'Dean! I'm down here!'

Dean's short spiked hair was followed by green eyes and an apprehensively twisted mouth. The hunter peered down over the rim of the pit. 'Pity I ain't Rapunzel,' he called down. 'I could just throw my hair at you for a rope.'

His tone was light, but Sam knew the joke was just trying to cover Dean's anxiety. 'Do you know where it is?' There wasn't time for his brother's usual bs. If the monster came back, Dean would be in huge trouble. There was reason the plan had been explosives and not just silver bullets. Going in swinging was a tactic that failed on _Nalusa Falaya_.

Dean glanced over his shoulder. 'Dunno. I just woke up a couple minutes ago and thought I heard a voice.' He glanced around the bottom of the pit where his brother sat and raised a quizzical eyebrow. 'Were you talkin' to yourself?'

Sam ignored him. 'Look, Dean, we both know it's gonna come back. You gotta get out of here before that happens.'

The words left Dean's lips automatically. 'I ain't leavin' you.'

They both froze at the sound of the unearthly screech resounding through the cavern system.

'God Damnit, Dean, run!'


	3. Chapter 3

The unnerving cry of the beast they had initially planned to hunt plunged through the tunnel. Dean's breath hitched in his chest as he spun around. His gun was gone and the bowie knife hadn't been in his hand when he came to. Without a weapon, he was monster chow.

'God Damnit, Dean, run!' Sam's voice echoed up from the pit.

'_Son of a bitch_!' Dean glanced around the cavern, mind racing, trying desperately to play out a scene where Sam wouldn't get hurt. He stared at the tunnel from where the _Nalusa Falaya _would inevitably explode in a matter of minutes, realizing there was no escape. It was as if his heart had frozen completely in his chest. He opened his mouth to say all the things he needed Sam to know.

Then his gaze snagged on a thin, dark gap in the stone about two feet from the main tunnel. Dean felt his heart start pounding again.

'Dean, get out of here!' The urgency in Sam's voice made Dean grit his teeth.

'Look, try and find a way out. I'm gonna –'

It howled as it burst into the underground room. A blur of yellowed fangs, thick black fur and crazed eyes careered right toward Dean. The hunter bodily threw himself clear. The monster scrabbled for purchase at the edge of the natural oubliette, six sharp spines rising on its skeletal back.

Dean's eyes widened at the thought of the savage killer trapped with Sam. It would tear him to pieces in seconds; Sam wouldn't even have a chance. But the _Nalusa Falaya _swiftly turned away from the pit and fixed its canine eyes on the shorter brother. Dean let out a sigh of relief that the thing hadn't noticed Sam. And then the situation hit him and he started running at full pelt.

'Come and get me, bitch!' he flung over his shoulder. Sliding hurriedly through the shaft in the rock, he found himself in a skinny stone hallway. Dean bent almost in half to prevent scraping his head on the roof, at the same time trying to peer ahead through the gloom.

Claws scrabbling on rock echoed everywhere around him. It was in the tunnel. Dean pushed himself faster, ignoring the ache that roared through his whole body. A twist in the tunnel loomed suddenly out of the shadows. Just before he came face to face with extremely hard stone he turned his shoulder into it.

A shard of rock slammed straight into his flesh, piercing his left shoulder as if someone had smashed it in with a sledgehammer. Dean's strangled cry was answered by the pursuing monster's own horrible screech. Clutching his wound with one hand, Dean stumbled onward, all too aware that the _Nalusa Falaya _was quickly gaining ground.

The blood was warm as it trickled over his fingers. He shook his head once to clear it and tried to focus. The tunnel seemed to swoop higher at a slow pace; gradually the ceiling became high enough for him to run upright. Dean knew that up meant level ground – meant sunlight and forest and far less possible dead ends.

A mix between a mournful wolf howl and a human baby wailing, the _Nalusa Falaya _bayed again. It would catch him up eventually; there was no doubt in him of that. But there was hope that he could give Sam enough time. If his brother could get out of the pit and off the reserve, then Dean would have kept his most significant promise. All that mattered was that Sammy got out of this alive.

Sunlight almost blinded him as Dean turned another corner and found the tunnel flooded with light. The hissing and scratching behind him became more frantic, as if the beast knew its prey was on the verge of escaping the stone warrens beneath the hill.

Dean felt a sense of unease lift from his shoulders as he reached the ending of the closed in tunnels. One shoe crunched on leaves and twigs, just beyond where the rock petered out. And then he was falling forward.

Claws met in his ankle and dragged his leg out from beneath him. A mix of a shout and a grunt rushed from Dean's lips as he slammed into the ground. Chittering sent an icy shock through his veins; he realised the monster had caught him up. He would die with his body literally halfway to freedom.


	4. Chapter 4

The suggestion had been simple: try and get out. Putting his brother's words into practice, however, was no easy feat. Sam reached for another hand-hold, only a foot above the bottom of the pit. The various indentations in the rock were helpful, but not numerous. And most of them weren't large or deep enough to fit a hand or boot.

Worry for his brother made his chest tighten. Sam had seen the _Nalusa Falaya _almost tumble into the pit with him, had seen it dart away and heard the muted sounds of it entering the tunnel – presumably going after Dean. Three-quarters of him was grateful the monster hadn't fallen, knowing the drop into the natural oubliette wouldn't have killed the agile beast. But the rest of him was filled with terror for his brother.

When he'd told Dean to run, he hadn't meant so that Dean could be a distraction. A blossom of anger unfurled in him as he pushed the tip of his boot into a new space in the rock. If Dean had just gone instead of arguing, he might have got away before the monster had reached the cavern. Sometimes his brother was infuriating.

'Damnit, Dean,' Sam muttered, shifting his hands.

Agonizingly slowly, he climbed up toward the lip of the pit. His muscles burned with the effort of keeping his body weight upright. His unusual height and good physique were normally useful assets on hunts, but here they were proving drawbacks. He impatiently blew a strand of brown hair out of his eyes and eased himself higher up the wall. A glance down showed him he was about five feet up. By his judgement that meant six feet were still above him.

A hollow snuffling made his gaze snap upward. Sam wondered what the hell else could be down here. A thought almost made him lose his grip: did the _Nalusa Falaya_ have _offspring_? The information they'd garnered from their Dad's friend had been scarce; one of the reasons the boys had elected to play demolitions experts.

The sniffling continued and Sam realised with increasing trepidation that it was getting closer. He held his breath, keeping himself as close to the wall of the pit as he could. Was it possible he could blend in and escape notice? He doubted it, but didn't move.

After what seemed a couple of decades, the sounds began to fade away. Sam looked upward but couldn't see anything to tell him the baby _Nalusa Falaya _had left the cavern. Desperately hoping luck was on his side, Sam began climbing again. Every now and then he paused and strained to hear more movement. Each time there was nothing but the distant drip of water and his own panting.

His mind swam as he finally reached the edge of the pit. Being knocked out and then climbing twelve feet was definitely not treating his body kindly. Sam groaned from the pain but curled the fingers of one hand over the stone rim. If he could just –

Scree skittered back down the pit as his foot slipped. A yell echoed through the cavern as Sam lost his grip. He felt himself falling, plunging back into the depths of his prison. Then he jolted to a painful stop. Sam blinked, gazed up the length of his own arm. A set of huge canine jaws was wrapped around his left forearm, fangs punching holes in his jacket, shirt and skin.

'What the –' Sam's voice trailed away.

Golden eyes gazed down at him with unnervingly human emotion. The beast backed up, bringing Sam closer to the edge of the pit. He reached up with his free hand and again grasped his chance at freedom. The fangs withdrew and Sam was able to use both hands to haul himself up onto level ground.

He lay on his back, soaked in sweat and breathing hard. Without moving, he scanned the cavern. Searching for the shape of whatever had just saved his life, Sam was astonished to find no trace of it in the gloom. Rolling onto his side, he propped himself up on an elbow. Still there was nothing to see but the airy expanse of cavern lit by tiny holes in the ceiling.

_Was I hallucinating?_

Bringing his arm to his face, Sam made out the tears in the fabric of his Corduroy jacket. Along with the stinging of pinprick cuts in his skin, he was reassured he hadn't been imagining it all.

_So where did it go?_

Sam slowly got to his feet, wincing at the tendon pulling in his shoulder. He gazed at the tunnel entrance for a moment before he saw that gap lay beside it. Figuring that Dean would have avoided the tunnel the _Nalusa Falaya _obviously could move easily through, Sam walked toward the split in the rock. The thing that had saved him was gone, and it wasn't as important as finding his brother.

Sam eased an arm and leg into the slender tunnel … and then realised he couldn't fit. There was no chance of his body sliding entirely through the small gap; he couldn't go the way Dean had led the monster. Cursing his height under his breath, Sam stumbled down the main tunnel.

He'd find another way to Dean.


	5. Chapter 5

He hurtled through the air, arms shielding his head. All the breath went out of him as he hit the dirt and rolled another few metres. Dean stared up at cloudless blue sky framed with leafy branches. For a moment he could have sworn he saw the stars. After taking him down at the cave exit, the _Nalusa Falaya _hadn't killed him like he thought it would've. At least… it hadn't yet.

Soft chittering bought him back to his senses. With a groan, Dean hauled himself to his knees. His elbow was bleeding even worse than before and he could feel the warmth trickling down from a gash in one eyebrow. Wiping the blood from his eye with the back of his hand, he stumbled to his feet.

In the same moment, a snake-like wreath of black smoke rose from the forest floor and wound about his injured ankle. Dean battered frantically at this sudden new assailant; his hand went straight through it. The black mist weaved up his thigh, over his hip and slithered beneath his plaid shirt.

_Fuck_.

Dean grasped the neckline of his shirt and tore it open, buttons bursting off one after the other. He lurched back a step as pain ripped through his gut. The thing was curled up across his abdomen. Six entirely _solid_, long spines emanated from the dark mist. Before Dean could react he was dropping to his knees. Agony flared along his front, raced away through his limbs and set everything boiling. He felt as if he had been set alight.

A hoarse moan was the only sound he could make as he tipped forward. His face met the ground and filled his mouth with dirt and leaves. From the corner of his eye he watched numbly as the black mist snaked out from beneath him. Quickly, it took the form of a _Nalusa Falaya_ standing six foot tall on its back legs. Saliva dripped from the monster's protruding fangs, its gaze fixed on Dean's helpless form.

Reaching out with a scrawny arm, the beast used its claws to flick Dean over. Lying on his back, the hunter was staring at the Choctaw myth in all its horrific glory. The thought distantly occurred to him that he was probably the only human to have ever witnessed one of these things close up. Not that it would count in a few moments, he reflected, detached as if he was watching the scene from safety; as if it wasn't really him now utterly at the monster's non-existent mercy.

The long, doglike muzzle sniffed at the air. Its large ears pricked up as if searching for some quiet sound. A low growl rumbled in its thick throat, muddy green eyes narrowing to suspicious slits. It raised its paws together in a chillingly mirrored gesture of prayer and began chittering urgently to itself.

Even in his incoherent state, Dean was amazed to see bright blue light spilling from between the _Nalusa Falaya_'s claws. When the monster lowered its shaggy forearms, three glowing spheres sped off into the sunlit forest. It watched them go before turning its attention back to where Dean lay at its feet.

It licked its muzzle, slavering uncontrollably, before bending down close to Dean's face. Completely paralysed, Dean couldn't even wince as the hot breath of the _Nalusa Falaya _slinked across his flesh. The stink of rotten meat flooded his nose. As if in a loving caress, the monster rested a single wicked claw along the hunter's jaw. It traced Dean's skin over his neck and along his bared shoulder where the loosened sleeve had slipped down.

The beast drew back its black lips, showing rows of pointed teeth. It wasn't hunger but pure joy that glittered in its eyes as it drew its claw across Dean's muscled chest. The tip of the claw paused over his heart, over the vivid anti-possession tattoo that would do no good here. Flesh began to tear. Blood welled in the deep cuts and poured free.

The pain of the _Nalusa Falaya_'s cruelty was so strong that, even through the immobilisation dose, Dean's back arched and a cry tore from his semi-parted lips.

'Dean!'

Sam's voice broke through his agony. The _Nalusa Falaya_ loosed a deafening scream, ripping its claw free of Dean's chest. Eyes flashing angrily, it disappeared from his range of sight.

'Sam.' Dean choked out his brother's name, finding himself freed of the power that had rendered him helpless. 'Sam,' he repeated weakly, lifting his head with great effort.

Sam stood at the edge of the clearing, facing the _Nalusa Falaya _without any kind of weapon. Though there was a fierce look on his brother's face, Dean knew the fight would be both bloodstained and short. And Sam would definitely lose.

'Hey, ugly!' Dean's shout was even hoarser than usual. He pushed himself unsteadily back to his feet, swaying back and forth like a pine in a gale. 'Get away from my brother!'

The _Nalusa Falaya _stopped mid-way between the two. It chittered furiously, wild eyes flicking from one to the other, unsure now of which to attack. Hesitantly, it took a step back toward Dean.

Sam saw the crimson blood leaking from his brother's chest and made his decision. 'No,' he barked. 'Come over here you mangy kangaroo, _over here_!'

The _Nalusa Falaya _spun and darted forward before either Sam or Dean could do anything more. Dean faltered forward as the monster's claws fastened around his younger brother's neck. He managed two full paces before his legs collapsed beneath him.

'_Sam!_'


	6. Chapter 6

The enormous shadow came from nowhere. One moment the murderous beast had its claws around Sam's neck, the next the _Nalusa Falaya _was sprawled on the ground two feet away. A growl that rumbled the earth like overhead thunder crashed into the ears of Sam and Dean.

A colossal dog stood poised at the side of the taller hunter, its head easily reaching the middle of Sam's chest. A pair of expressive golden eyes came to meet Sam's astounded gaze as he openly stared. And all at once Sam recognised his saviour from the cavern. An involuntary gasp of surprise made him gag. Sam's eyes grew wide, his hands grasping at his throat. The _Nalusa Falaya_'s clawshad punctured his windpipe.

The dog reached out its nose and gently touched Sam's forearm. Pins and needles raced over his skin until the feeling sped up his shoulder and wholly engulfed his neck. From where he lay, Dean watched in amazement as his brother's fatal wounds closed up and vanished as if they had never existed.

A familiar screech yanked all of their attention to the now livid _Nalusa Falaya_. It stood again on its hind legs. Its repulsive head lowered in a battle challenge. The giant dog leaped forward, mouth twitching in a snarl. Like prized wrestlers, the monster and the hound circled each other with caution.

The _Nalusa Falaya _moved first. Almost quicker than sight, the hideous dog-primate hybrid lunged into the path of its foe. Taken by surprise, the giant dog lost his advantage. The monster, still on its hind legs, plunged its wicked claws into the hound's shoulder. Snarling with pain and mounting rage, the black dog dove toward its enemy's exposed stomach. Blood flicked across the forest floor, scarlet against bright green leaves.

As the two supernatural beasts crashed together in a whirl of dark fur, Sam skirted the ferocious fight. He raced wide of the tumbling bodies and skidded to a halt beside his brother. Throwing Dean's arm around his shoulders, Sam helped the wounded hunter slowly to his feet.

'Y'okay?' Sam questioned, glancing at the deep gouges in his brother's chest.

'M'okay,' Dean grunted, but his face was turning pale and his eyelids started fluttering as if he couldn't stay awake.

'We're gonna get out of this.'

It was a promise, they both knew; Sam had left Dean once before, but their father was dead and Stanford was lives away. They'd lasted this long because they each had the other's back. It was no different today – even though a hunt gone wrong made it on the list of simpler things the Winchesters had had to face together.

A howl like grating rock drew the brothers' attention to the mêlée. Before their startled gaze, the huge hound grasped the _Nalusa Falaya_ around the throat. Trapped, the Choctaw legend ripped at the hound's muzzle with the desperation of survival. A claw, still stained with Dean's blood, scored a gash across the dog's left eye. With a roar of pain, the great hound shook the monster like a chew toy.

That's when Dean saw the smoke. 'Sam!' He grabbed his brother's arm. 'We gotta do somethin'!'

'What?' Sam was about to run, to get Dean off the reserve and to Bobby's place in Sioux Falls. He was grateful to the unexpected ally now fighting this battle for them, but Dean would die of blood loss if he waited much longer.

'It turns into a mist-snake thing, with spines.' Dean's rough voice was urgent. 'When it sticks 'em into you, you can't move. _We gotta do somethin'_!'

'Dean, I'm –' His words faded as Dean pulled out of his grasp and stumbled forward. 'Fucking h – _Dean_, what the hell are you doing!'

Dean dropped to his knees, ignoring the flaring pain still racing through his body. _It ain't fucking dyin' on my account_, he thought furiously, glaring at the gigantic dog still biting deep into the monster's throat. He pried a rock from the soft earth, took aim and pitched it hard.

As the rock collided with the _Nalusa Falaya_'s muzzle, the monster lost control over its smoke form. Its hind legs melted back into thick ragged fur, into a solidity that could be damaged. The hound growled through its mouthful of monster and flung its foe. The _Nalusa Falaya_ smashed into a tree back-first with an agonised, ear-piercing scream.

Dean grinned as he let Sam help him up. 'Taste some of your own medicine, you overgrown toilet brush!'

Bounding forward, the giant dog snapped at the fallen monster. The _Nalusa Falaya _lashed out with all four limbs, catching the hound on the jaw. A pained yelp came from the beast as it leaped back, golden eyes glowing with perilous wrath, blood dripping from its fur. Taking its chance, the monster rose onto its hind legs.

Dean tossed another rock. It sailed past the _Nalusa Falaya_'s nose and thumped into the tree trunk behind. The monster turned its cruel gaze on the brothers, screeching a battle cry. It leaped toward them, claws outstretched.

'No!' Sam shoved Dean behind him, scrunching his eyes shut as the _Nalusa Falaya_ reached out.

The hound was faster. Pounding across the loam, the giant black dog caught the _Nalusa Falaya_ in the middle. Two spines wrenched free, falling silently to the ground. The hound bit down. With a terrible cracking sound the Choctaw myth's spinal cord snapped.

The nature reserve fell into silence. Slowly, bird song resumed and warm sunlight trickled across the clearing.

'Sam…' Dean was the first to move. He struggled to sit up where he had fallen, trying to grab his brother's leg, trying to let him know they were both still alive. 'Sammy, it's okay.'

As if still expecting to see the horrific face of the _Nalusa Falaya _inches from his own, Sam peered through narrowed lids. He started in relief when he saw that the monster was dead.

Unceremoniously dropping its limp enemy, the hound barked. It was a thunderous noise that shook the ground beneath Sam and Dean's boots. Massive sides heaving, the dog raised its head to take in Sam taking Dean's hand. When both brothers were standing, Dean leaning heavily on Sam's shoulder, the hound padded forward.


	7. Chapter 7

Sam and Dean glanced at each other. As if sensing their unease, the massive dog halted two paces from them. Tilting its head, its liquid golden eyes blinked curiously.

Hesitantly, Sam reached out his free hand. 'Uh…'

The hound held his gaze as it lowered its nose. The cold, wet circle rested gently in his palm. Then, to the absolute astonishment of both hunters, the giant hound began wagging its tail.

A smile twitched the corner of Dean's mouth. 'Looks like you made a friend.'

'_We_ made a friend,' Sam corrected with a laugh. His expression grew serious. 'He saved both our lives today.'

The hound yipped and dropped into a playful crouch, its bushy tail still waving excitedly from side to side.

'Aw, can we keep him?' Sam joked, gently giving his brother more support with his shoulder.

'No dogs in the car,' Dean reminded him pointedly. 'And, anyway, what the hell would we feed it with?'

Sam gave him the puppy dog face.

It was such a younger brother moment, Dean couldn't help but grin. But when he tried to chuckle, crimson trickled down his chin. His mouth twisted with pain and he let out a soft groan. Blood was still running freely from his bared chest, now staining the hems of his shirt even though it hung open.

Sam caught him as he crumpled. Both Winchesters ended up in the dirt, Sam holding Dean's upper half so that most of him didn't hit the ground. Panic set in, flooding through Sam's chest as fast as blood was pouring from Dean's. There was no way in hell Sam could haul his brother's ass back to the Impala at the reserve border. There were miles to cover … and they didn't even have a map.

A now-familiar snuffling made Sam look up. The massive black dog whimpered softly and padded closer.

'Hey can you,' Sam started, then wondered if he was going crazy. Supernatural though it was, why would it be able to actually understand human speech? Dean moaned, a shiver of agony sweeping through him.

Sam pressed his lips together. _I have to try_. 'Can you do what you did for me? You know –' Sam gestured to his own throat, shuddering at the memory of no air in his lungs.

The hound puffed a breath through its nose and shook out its fur. At first, Sam began to think that he'd been right: supernatural creature didn't equal human linguistics. But although it couldn't seem to speak in reply, the giant dog began lowering its muzzle to Dean's forehead.

Before Sam's eyes, the savage claw marks in his brother's flesh began to close up and vanish. The anti-possession tattoo became whole once more, and there weren't even any scars to show it had ever been rent. Within moments, all that was left as proof of Dean's near death experience was lots of dried blood.

The hound withdrew. Dean sucked in a deep breath and opened his eyes. For a moment he gazed up at the late afternoon sky, then he focused on Sam. 'I have a killer headache.'

Sam laughed with relief. 'Dude, be glad that's all you've got.'

Still sprawled ungracefully across his brother's legs, Dean stretched out an arm. The giant dog gently pressed its nose to Dean's wrist before flicking an ear and prancing away. It paused and looked back at them as if waiting.

'Are you gonna get us out of here?' Sam asked.

The dog's tail wagged as it danced a few steps backward. Part of Sam felt guilty – they had done nothing to warrant everything the creature had done for them. It had saved both brothers' lives _twice_.

'We'll buy it a really big steak,' Dean said, glancing at Sam with a knowing look. 'Let's just get back to the car.'

'Right.' Sam nodded and carefully scooted backward on his ass.

Dean got up slowly, one hand to his forehead. 'God damn, I never want to hunt one of those things ever again.'

'I –' As he moved to point toward the _Nalusa Falaya_'s corpse, Sam's throat closed over. 'Dean,' he said hoarsely. 'Look.'

Dean did. 'Son of a bitch…' he whispered, eyebrows raised.

The scrawny dark body of the Choctaw monster was gone.

The brothers shared a glance.

'Come on, mutt,' Dean told the massive hound, 'Sniff out our guns like a good boy.'


	8. Chapter 8

The sun was swallowed by thick grey clouds that promised rain. A heavy breeze washed through the leaves of the forest, setting the trees whispering. Crouched amongst protruding tree roots, Dean felt cold metal against his fingers. Grasping the sawn-off shotgun, he rose triumphantly.

Sam discovered his pistol beneath a thorn bush and turned to face his brother. 'We ready?'

Dean shrugged. 'Ready as we'll ever be.'

Appearing from the shadows, the giant black dog came to join them. Sam gave it a glance. A frown creased his forehead.

Dean raised an eyebrow. 'What?' he asked.

'What?' Sam looked at him blankly. 'What, what?'

'I can hear your cogs clunking from here. Got anythin' helpful stored away in that filing cabinet brain of yours?'

'On our new best friend, maybe.' Sam scratched the hound behind one gigantic ear, smiling despite their predicament. 'I think he's a Grim.'

'A grim? I thought that was a reaper.'

'No, like a Black Dog – you know, a couple times we thought we'd run into one.'

'Oh, right.' Dean eyed the hound sideways. 'Wait, aren't they meant to be harbingers of doom or somethin'? How come this one decided to save our skins?'

'I remember reading somewhere that in some cases Grims are actually seen as good omens, as healers. They protect graveyards, warn travellers, that kind of thing. Maybe we happened to run into a friendly one.'

A low growl suddenly rumbled in the throat of the beast they were discussing. Dean hefted the shotgun. 'Glad he's on our side, either way. I think we're gonna need him some more.'

Sam scanned the dim woodland where the hound was staring. He couldn't pick out anything hinting at danger until one shadow separated from the rest. 'Dean,' he whispered, jutting his chin toward the silhouette a few metres away. 'Over there.'

Dean gave a stiff nod and took aim. 'I see it.'

Poised between the brothers, the hound showed its teeth and scented the still air. Everything had gone quiet again; there was no sound of birds or foxes or deer. The entire world was eerily unsettled, waiting with bated breath for an outcome here in the depths of a Virginian nature reserve.

Sam swallowed, trying to ignore memories of claws tearing into his throat. He cocked the pistol and willed his hand to stop shaking. From the corner of his vision Dean saw his brother's discomfort. He didn't comment, deciding it more helpful to be ready to face the _Nalusa Falaya_ – alone if need be.

A pair of animalistic eyes glinted from the undergrowth. The chittering made the brothers' blood run cold. The hound took a step forward but didn't leave its position between Sam and Dean. Slowly, hissing from drawn back lips, the _Nalusa Falaya _slithered out of the shrubs.

It was even more crazed than before and looked half-dead. One of its back legs was held up off the ground so it relied on all-fours to slink forward. Its ugly head rested at a strange angle, almost as if its neck really had been broken. Blood soaked its coarse black fur, turning it even darker. Yellowed fangs bit at the air.

'Round two,' Dean muttered, aiming his shotgun. He squared his shoulder for the kickback and pulled the trigger.

A silver bullet whistled straight toward the _Nalusa Falaya_, the crack of the gun shattering the silence with a roar. Heading right between its eyes, the bullet was inches from carving a hole in the monster's brain when its entire top half dissipated in smoke. The bullet thwacked into a tree. The Choctaw myth reformed itself, a twisted version of a grin curling its lipless mouth.

Dean watched with growing dread, raised the shotgun again. '_Come on!_' A second silver bullet followed the first and suffered the same fate. Cold sweat trickled down Dean's spine as he saw the _Nalusa Falaya _take a few steps toward them.

The air snapped as Sam fired the pistol. His bullets were as useful as Dean's. At the same time, the brothers reloaded. The hound snarled, hackles rising in warning. Its golden eyes were aflame with disgust and a challenge.

Even crawling forward on three legs, the _Nalusa Falaya_ seemed more terrible this time around. Saliva dribbled from its jaws, its eyes rolled frantically as if it couldn't focus, every now and then its front claws would lash out. Either from agony or natural derangement, the Choctaw legend had apparently lost all sense of sanity.

Which meant it didn't fear its own final ending.

The Grim charged its foe, racing out from beside the Winchesters and into combat. Ducking beneath slashing claws, the giant hound tore at the _Nalusa Falaya_'s pelt. It danced backward out of range, ears flattened to its skull. The _Nalusa Falaya_ screeched its rampant rage, lashed out but missed. The black dog rumbled a bark.

The ominous blue glow leaked between tree trunks. Recognizing the arrival of the treacherous light spheres, Dean pulled the shotgun trigger. The bullet went right through the wisps and vanished into the dimness. As the graceful orbs drifted closer, the hound's golden eyes swivelled to watch them.

'Don't look at them!' Dean heard himself yell, but it was too late.

Seizing the opening, the _Nalusa Falaya_ lunged. Caught by the hefty paw to its side, the dog thudded to the forest floor several feet away and did not move.

A blood-curdling victory shriek raised the hairs at the back of Sam's neck. He stared from the monster, to the fallen Grim that had saved his life. Anger welled up in him.

Dean grasped his brother by the elbow. 'Sam, get out of here. Go back to the car. I – I'll catch up.'

'Dean, I'm not an idiot.' Sam yanked himself from Dean's hand, shaking his head. 'You can't beat this thing.'

'Neither of us can!' Dean growled, pointing the shotgun at the crazed monster when it skulked forward. 'What use is both of us six feet under? Get off the reserve. Get to the car, get to Bobby.'

'Dean, no.' Sam's jaw tightened stubbornly. 'Us against the world, remember?'

Dean looked up at his younger brother, his heart thudding painfully against his ribcage. There was so much life Sam could have lived, so much Sam should have had the chance to do. Dean's green eyes were sombre as he took his place at his brother's side.

'Yeah. Us against the world,' he agreed quietly.

And then several unexpected things happened at once. The _Nalusa Falaya_ closed the gap between itself and the brothers in the blink of an eye. It hooked claws into Sam's shoulder and tossed him aside. Dean felt agony flare in his hand as the gun was torn from his grasp. He shouted as the stinking maw of the _Nalusa Falaya _closed in around his head –

– then gritted his teeth and shoved something clutched in his uninjured hand, deep into the monster's gut.


	9. Chapter 9

Distant thunder roused Sam from the darkness of unconsciousness. He groaned, one hand to the back of his head, as he stumbled to his feet. The world returned to focus and fear gripped his heart with icy claws. Not three feet away the hulking shape of the _Nalusa Falaya _crouched. And Sam could make out a boot emerging from beneath its side.

'Dean!' Sam rushed toward the monster, not even stopping to consider that he had no weapon. When his hands slammed into coarse fur, he was surprised to feel the distinct lack of warmth. There was no chittering, no screeching. And now that he was closer he could see it lay completely on the ground. Sam's mouth fell open. 'It's dead…'

'Yeah.' Dean's voice was muffled. His foot twitched, the only part of him free. 'No thanks to you.'

Sam snorted, relief surging through his whole body. 'Well, you're gonna owe me for digging you out.'

Dean grunted. 'How's our friend doin'? He gonna be any help? This bastard is _heavy_.'

The vision of the Grim being flung to the forest floor made Sam slowly look around. His gaze found the heap of fur collapsed between large shrubs. 'Hang on,' he told his brother.

Sam went to the beast and rounded its enormous bulk. When he reached its head, he knelt in the dirt. Gently, he stroked the Grim's muzzle. There was no movement. Just when he was trying to accept the beast was dead, a pair of golden eyes flickered half-open.

'Hey buddy,' Sam murmured, a sad smile spreading across his dirt-smeared face. He realised he was talking to the animal as though it were an everyday pet, but the Grim didn't seem to mind. It whimpered softly, pushing its nose against Sam's hand. 'I know,' he crooned, 'I know. We're gonna see if we can get you back on your paws.'

The Grim flicked an ear and shifted its foreleg. Sam nodded reassuringly. 'That's it, boy. Maybe I can help.'

He considered his options. The _Nalusa Falaya _was far too heavy to move on his own, so there was no way Dean could help with the Grim. But the massive black dog was huge as well and Sam wasn't sure how much he could do alone. _And_ if the hound couldn't walk, it definitely wouldn't be any use in freeing Dean. Sam huffed a frustrated sigh. It seemed he was stuck between a rock and a hard place – or in this case, a monster and a frigging massive canine.

He decided he was the only one in the world who had ever had this predicament.

'What's goin' on, Steve Irwin? I need you to wrangle this fucking lump offa me!' Dean's rough shout made Sam wave a hand in his brother's direction.

'Dude, be patient.'

'Be patient!' Dean echoed incredulously, 'This thing is _still_ tryin' to kill me. I can hardly breathe under all this! I think I can hear my ribs crackin'!'

'Just shut up!' Sam rested a hand on the black dog's shoulder. 'Now, we have to do this together,' he told it gently. 'And, uh, please don't bite me if it hurts, okay?'

He slipped his arms between the Grim and the ground, reaching as wide as he could. Slowly, he began pushing upward. The black hound snarled quietly but scrabbled at the loam with its gigantic paws. Sweat beaded on Sam's forehead. He pursed his lips together, the muscles in his arms bulging from the effort of carrying so much dead weight.

'Sammy?'

'Not now, Dean!' Sam panted. He wondered just how much longer he'd have to hold out as the forest started spinning before his eyes. Being knocked out cold twice in one day certainly wasn't doing him any good. And neither was the extra exercise.

With a last valiant heave, the Grim stood shakily on all four legs. Carefully, Sam backed away. The huge hound shook out its fur and stumbled a little. Sam held his breath. If it fell again he knew he couldn't do anything to help this time. The Grim took a moment to compose itself. It took a small step toward Sam, then another and another. They were almost chest-to-face when it crashed to the loam.

Rain drops pattered down through the leaves. Thunder rumbled overhead. Sam put his hands to his head in dismay. 'What do I do now?' he breathed, eyes wide. He placed a hand on the Grim's head. 'I'm sorry, buddy.'

The massive hound blinked at him and Sam was overwhelmed with the feeling that the Grim understood. That it was grateful he had at least tried. From above, the clouds loosed their burdens. Heavy rain hissed down, soaking Sam in a matter of seconds. He pushed his shaggy mop of hair out of his face, odd strands sticking wetly to his skin.

Clothes clinging to his muscled frame, Sam crossed to the corpse of the _Nalusa Falaya_. 'Dean, the dog can't make it. I think its dying.'

'Nothin' we can do?' Dean asked. He still sounded as though his head was stuck fast in a thick sweater. 'I mean, after you get me out.'

Sam shook his head, casting a sad glance over his shoulder. 'I don't think so.'

'What's the plan from here, then?' Dean grunted, obviously trying to shift as much as he could.

'I'm gonna have to go get the wardens. I don't – don't really know what else to do, Dean.' Sam wasn't looking forward to explaining that his brother was trapped under a slain supernatural monster, but it didn't look like he would have a choice.

'Lemme … lemme think,' Dean said, 'Maybe we can avoid the authorities.'

'Dean –'

'Shut your cakehole and let me figure this out!'

Sam sighed. 'Alright, alright.'

He squinted up at the forest canopy. Raindrops hit his face. With little else to do, Sam lowered himself to the ground and sat there, waiting, soaked to the skin.

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><p><strong>One more chapter to go! I hope the story doesn't drag on - it certainly went for longer than I'd initially planned. If there just seems too much (accidental) stalling going on, please let me know in a review. Many thanks to my lovely reviewers and fave-ers. You've each given me a pretty big confidence boost and the wish to keep posting stories here! xx<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

Dean tried not to panic.

With the corpse of the _Nalusa Falaya_ pressing down on practically his entire body, he was losing feeling in his limbs. Not to mention his head was half stuck in the monster's stinking mouth. Each time he tried to shift his face, desperate for more oxygen, sharp-edged fangs sliced his face. He tasted blood from his lower lip and realised he had almost bit right through.

Sam's plan of calling the wardens was only a semi-reasonable one. It was an unspoken law between hunters that they did their best to keep their world a secret. Mass hysteria would no doubt break down any form of society, with humanity seeing enemies in the eyes of even their loved ones, should the truth ever be totally set free. No, the wardens were a last resort.

'Hey, Sammy?' Dean waited rather tensely for his brother's reply.

For a moment there was nothing, and Dean could hear the blood in his ears. Then, the younger hunter's voice wriggled its way underneath the pelt of Dean's prison.

'I've got good news and bad news,' Sam called.

'Uh, give me the good.'

'How 'bout I show you?'

There was another few seconds of silence. Grunting and growling accompanied small movements of the _Nalusa Falaya _carcass. Either the thing was reincarnating itself _again_ – and by God Dean hoped that wasn't it – or Sam had thought up a plan.

The pressure on his ribcage gradually receded. Dean sucked in a deep breath, immediately gagging on the stink of his horrendous surroundings. As the corpse shifted, a fang began nudging into his skin just below his eye. He managed to jerk his head free seconds before the monster managed to blind him even in death.

'Dean? You all right?' Sam was crouched at his side with an anxious expression.

Dean blinked as rain spattered over his skin, soaking his torn shirt. 'It's raining?'

'Has been for a while.' Sam peered closer at his brother, trying to determine whether Dean had been seriously hurt.

'Help me up, Sammy.'

When Dean was sitting with his back against a tree, Sam flicked on a torch. He shone the beam in each of Dean's eyes.

'I ain't concussed, Sam, cut it out.'

'I just wanted to make sure,' Sam retorted, shoving the portable light in the back of his jeans alongside his pistol. He shot a glance toward the dead _Nalusa Falaya_. 'How'd you kill it, anyway? I thought you lost your knife.'

Dean tilted his head so the rain was trickling freely across his face. He closed his eyes, a grimace knitting his eyebrows together. 'When the Black Dog attacked that douche of a monster, it lost some of its spine-things. I grabbed one before we came back here for the guns.' He shrugged gingerly with one shoulder. 'Thought maybe it could come in handy, 'specially since I didn't exactly enjoy what it did to _me_. Although,' he admitted, 'I didn't know it was gonna die from its own paralysis juice.'

'But the spines didn't – I mean, you –' Sam combed his fingers through his wet hair. 'You had no idea that would work - _at all_! - and you –'

'I didn't have a lotta time, you know!' Dean threw his hands in the air, exasperated, exhausted and aching. 'Can we – Look, can we just get back to the car, already.'

Sam crossed his arms. 'You aren't even gonna thank him?'

Golden eyes set amongst sable fur peeked around Sam's elbow. With a joyful yelp the Grim bounded straight toward Dean.

'Whoa, whoa, _whoa_!' Dean's outstretched hands were ignored as the huge hound slammed into him. Wedged between the tree and overly happy canine, Dean felt his ribs might snap for the second time in the same day. He was horrified when the Grim began to swipe its rough, wet tongue all over his face. Making noises of indignation he tried in vain to fend it off. Sam threw his head back and laughed, standing there in the middle of a thunderstorm, surrounded by trackless pine forest.

The massive hound backed away, tail still wagging. Dean's mouth twisted in disgust as he wiped slobber from his skin with the back of a hand.

'Nice to see you alive too,' he muttered darkly, but his expressive green eyes revealed genuine joy that the beast still lived.

Sam patted the hound on the back of its neck. 'Sorry, buddy, but we've gotta go. I reckon the forest animals will clean up the monster for all of us.'

The Grim tilted its head to one side. With a sudden movement, it turned and raced away between the trees. Sam and Dean exchanged glances with eyebrows raised. Dean reached out for his brother's offered arm.

'Guess we wore out our welcome,' Dean grunted, wobbling to his feet.

After retrieving the shot-gun from the loam, Sam slung Dean's arm around his shoulders. They were beginning their trek back to the Impala when Dean paused.

'Hey,' he began. Shakily, he bent to pick up his bowie knife. 'Glad I didn't lose this.'

Sam huffed his impatience. 'Come on. We should get back to the car before this storm gets worse.'

Sam helped Dean into the shotgun seat, ignoring his brother's grumbling that he was fine and wanted to drive. As he tossed the weapons in the trunk, something at the edge of the forest made him pause.

'Hey, dude,' he called softly.

'What?' Dean leaned out of the window, looking back at his brother with a frown. 'If it's more of those sons of bitches we're friggin' drivin' away, man.'

'No, Dean.' Sam pointed, a broad smile growing across his face. 'I think I know why the Grim helped us.'

Green eyes widened when Dean spotted the three small forms traipsing around the paws of the hulking hound. The Grim stood amongst the pines, gaze fixed on the brothers. Sam would forever attest that the dog dipped its head in a gesture of respect. He raised a hand in farewell and watched the hound and pups disappear.

Thunder rumbled as Sam slid into the driver's seat. 'Looks like he is a she,' he commented, gunning the engine.

Gravel crunched under tires. Both brothers were glad to leave the reserve behind. It was only when the Impala was pulling out onto the main road, that Dean remembered something.

He glanced at his brother. 'Wait, what was the bad news?'

Sam chuckled. 'Well, you smell like something died on you.'

Dean smacked his brother on the shoulder. 'Bitch.'

'Jerk.'

Metallica blared through the speakers as the '67 Chevy purred on to its next destination.

* * *

><p><strong><em>fin.<em>**

* * *

><p><strong>Notes:<strong>

**The monster in this story is based on real Native American myth:**

**The Choctaws have many tales involving "shadow beings" - in this case the _Nalusa Falaya_ or "Long Evil Being". They are said to inhabit dense forests, often near swamps. Described as having a human-like appearance with long pointed ears and a long nose, the _Nalusa Falaya _walks upright.**

**Some sources say the creature was said to slither like a snake or melt into a shadow, so I melded these two features. Along with the claim that they can prick a thorn into human flesh, I created the idea of the spines that are soaked with a paralytic venom. **

**As these creatures are so similar to the wendigo in Supernatural's first season, I used a bit of artistic license and made the version in this story rather large; the mythology says _Nalusa Falaya_ are about the same height as a man. ****For the same reason, ****I left out that the creatures can throw their voice.**

**It is also a suspicion that _Nalusa Falaya _children are able to transform into a lightened form, becoming small luminous beings often seen at the edges of marshes. I figured they would make a good distraction and still contain their ability to harm.**

**Native American mythology is fascinating, and I encourage you to leave me a message with any more information you might have about _Nalusa Falaya_!**


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